This weekend, Princes William and Harry of Wales completed a week-long motorbike trek across the South African wilderness in order to help raise funds for various local charities … and today it’s back to bizznazz as usual for the young Royals. Earlier today, it was announced that Prince Harry has decided on the next phase of his military career. He plans to follow his big brother, Prince William, and wants to begin training to become a helicopter pilot:

Prince Harry is aiming to follow in his brother’s footsteps by becoming a helicopter pilot, royal officials say. Officials said Harry had begun the selection process and would find out next month whether he had been accepted for training. Harry’s elder brother, William, was awarded his Royal Air Force wings in April after training since January … In September, it was announced William is to train to become a full-time search and rescue pilot with the RAF. Prince Harry’s father, Prince Charles, and uncle, the Duke of York, have also learned to pilot military helicopters. Prince Harry spent three months in Afghanistan earlier this year.

Woot! Now, I realize that undertaking military training and committing to military service is no small matter and should never be treated as such and taken lightly. I have repeatedly expressed how impressed I am that the Princes of Wales are so committed to their military careers. But I gots ta be honest and say the thought of both Prince Wills and Harry becoming helicopter pilots is kinda cool. I mean … the uniforms alone. Again, I say Woot! I think it’s safe to say that Harry‘s royal subjects and, indeed, the rest of us Harry fans fully and wholeheartedly support his decision to take to the skies. I’m looking forward to watching his training move forward … aren’t you?

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Last weekend we learned that the young Princes of Wales, William and Harry, embarked on a 1,000-mile motorbike trek across the South African wilderness (with other riders) to help raise funds for various charities that benefit the area. At about the midway point last Wednesday, we learned that the Princes paused to play a friendly soccer match with a local team and ended up getting trounced on the fields of play. Undaunted, tho, the Royals pressed on and I am happy to report that they successfully completed their week-long journey yesterday:

Princes William and Harry yesterday drove into the port city bearing their grandmother’s name after an arduous eight-day motorcycle trek across some of South Africa’s most inhospitable landscapes. Looking well-tanned if not a little saddle sore, the duo reportedly said the 1,000-mile journey from near Durban had been a ‘blast’. They pulled into the windy Bluewater Bay on the edge of Port Elizabeth dressed in red motor cycle jumpsuits which their 10-strong team had donned. They rode with six Metropolitan Police protection officers, Shaun Davy – brother of Harry’s girlfriend Chelsy – and the younger prince’s friend Tom Inskip. After reaching the waterfront venue, all the teams rode through Port Elizabeth resplendent in different coloured jumpsuits. They then reached a hotel where local people and a local Xhosa band danced and sang a welcome. The pair stood and talked to fellow riders, but declined to speak to the media or local onlookers before entering the hotel for an informal dinner last night. Trip organiser Simon Smith from Global Euro said the royal duo were “outstanding” riders. “They were both fantastic riders and didn’t run from anything. They asked us to treat them as one of the group and that’s what we did. They mucked in chores and shared a beer and food round the BBQ. They were outstanding companions.” He said keeping their involvement had been hard. “Only a few of us on this side knew about it. We’ve kept it secret for 12 months – not even telling our nearest and dearest.” He said the princes both paid the £5,000 fee … During the trip they rode through mountains, gorges, scrubland, dry river beds and coastline in a journey across the Eastern Cape, South Africa’s poorest province. The trip raised money for three charities, Nelson Mandela’s Children’s Fund, UNICEF and Harry’s Sentebale charity in Lesotho which helps orphaned children. Around £1,500 of the fee was divided between the charities which organiser hoped would amount to £310,000. Mr Smith said the duo had been ‘great sports’. At the end of each day, the organisers handed out a ‘dick of the day’ award and a ‘spirit of the day’ award. Mr Smith added: “Harry did get the spirit of the day award on day three after pulling one of the riders out of a river after he fell in and became waste deep in the river. He didn’t think twice and just yanked him out. “The ‘dick of the day’ award went to someone who was a right wally,” laughed Mr Smith who said the princes did not get voted for that gong Along the route, riders helped local charity Touch Africa, in Morgan Bay, near East London, to decorate a creche on their day off last Wednesday. They also played a game of football against a local team. Harry, 24, and William, 26, both played and refereed a half but it wasn’t enough to prevent a 6-2 defeat. Spokeswoman Elise Fish said: “Both of them were really generous with their time, playing football with local kids in the rain. They didn’t ask to be omitted from anything … The princes suffered from “Transkei tummy” during the trip, but their team leader on the trip, Mike Glover, said there few serious accidents. “I’d welcome them back next year, or any other royals. They’re tough guys and you can tell they’ve been in the military,” he added.

OK, LOL at the “dick of the day” award! While I’m sure the awarding of such an award is not meant to be cheeky by any stretch of the imagination … I can’t help but let my mind go the way of the cheek. Hahahaha. I had no doubt that the Princes would successfully complete the journey and it sounds like they had a really fun time along the way. I imagine it was quite a treat for the other riders to get to know the Princes in such an intimate way (no cheekiness implied). Kudos to the young Royals for taking part in such an arduous trek. While some may scoff that the riders were not forced to ride thru “rough terrain” I contend that a week-long motorbike trek thru even the most civil, paved areas is very trying. Well done and much congrats again!!

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Last Saturday we learned that Princes William and Harry of Wales had embarked on a 1,000 mile motorbike trek across the South African wilderness in order to raise money for various charities, including Prince Harry‘s own Sentebale organization. The lads have already reached the half-way point in their journey and decided to pause in order to enjoy a friendly game of soccer with a team of locals … which resulted in a bit of a thrashing on the soccer field. Here are a few pics of Wills and Harry doing their thing on in soccer play yesterday:

PRINCE William was at the receiving end of a sound thrashing – from an African village XI. The 26-year-old royal may be president of the Football Association, but his credentials seemed wasted on the players from the Igxarho Location. Even the efforts of soccer-mad brother Prince Harry failed to stop the blushes as the famous visitors lost 6-2. At times Wills looked decidedly uncomfortable as he and his posh chums were given a lesson in the beautiful game. Wills, who played left back, took tumble after tumble as he tried in vain to block a flood of attacks. Jeered on by the spectators William looked more than a little flat-footed. And when Harry joined the team things went from bad to worse. The afternoon came during a rest day for the boys as they reached the halfway stage of their 1,000 mile African motorbike trek. William and Harry are taking part in the Enduro Challenge along with 80 other riders. Their efforts have already raised more than £300,000 for people living in communities just like the Igxarho Location. One onlooker said: “William looked very clumsy out there. Every time the ball came near him he either fell over or appeared frightened. Harry came on towards the end but things didn’t really improve much. I don’t think any of the village side realised they were playing a game against the president of the FA. If they had known perhaps the score-line would have been even more embarrassing.” The match took place in the small community in the heart of South Africa’s Wild Coast. Earlier in the day William and Harry had joined the other riders and rolled up their sleeves to paint a community building as they took a welcome break from their motorbike challenge. But if William looked determined to avoid any danger on the pitch, he seemed fearless on his way back to the hotel. Both the boys jumped on their 250 horsepower Honda machines and sped away down a dirt track without any helmets or protective clothing. They are staying in nearby Morgan Bay as they prepare for the next leg of their trip. They are due to cross the finish line in Port Elizabeth on Saturday before heading back to the UK.

Aww … poor Princes. Honestly, I suspect the British newspaper may be exaggerating how poorly Wills and Harry did in this match. Even the best players can’t win all the time. If you consider that the Princes have been traveling by motorbike since last Saturday I think it’s impressive that they were even interested in playing a match with the locals at all. In the end, it doesn’t really matter if they win or lose friendly soccer games … they are involved in a very worthwhile and important endeavor and I just love talking about their charitable contributions. Princes who are not content with merely donating money but with getting involved in this way to help raise funds is very admirable. Go, Princes, go … you guys rock.

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Princes William and Harry have set off on a 1,000-mile motorbike trek into the South African wilderness this weekend to raise money for various charities including Sentebale (Harry‘s organization to provide help to AIDS orphans in Lesotho), UNICEF and the Nelson Mandela Children’s Fund. You may recall that earlier this week, it was reported that a new poll showed that gay men preferred lusting after Prince Harry than they did Prince William (and Pink readers who professed their preferences seemed to agree) but I think in light of the brothers’ joint venture to help raise money for these very needy charities, I think it’s safe to say that each Prince is deserving of our lurve and affection:

With warpaint streaked down their faces, Princes William and Harry sped off into the South African wilderness today on an epic 1,000-mile motorbike trek for charity. The gruelling endurance rally takes in some of the most inhospitable terrain known to man and, William told the Mail, will challenge the brothers like never before. The 26-year-old prince has had his own motocross bike since the age of eight while Harry, 24, took his test over the summer in order to compete in the Enduro Africa “Ride for Life”. “It is fair to say that we are bricking it,” he joked. It is also the first time that the two brothers – who aren’t even allowed to travel on the same plane for security reasons – have undertaken a challenge of this magnitude together before. “We never really spend any time together as we have both got separate jobs going on at the moment. So it is going to be great fun,” added Harry. “I don’t know how we are going to get on yet, we will have to tell you later. We might argue, we might have a bit of fun – we will have to see how it goes – but we are really looking forward it.” Yesterday the pair laughed and joked with their 86 fellow riders as they made last-minute checks on their Honda CRF 230s, super-light 200cc trail bikes which will prove easier to manoeuvre over the goat tracks that the group will be forced to traverse. Both wore biking boots and waterproof suits with thick-set body protectors underneath as well as their crash helmets and goggles. “Unfortunately it’s the padding, not my physique,” William teased. The princes will travel in a small group of 10 riders – which includes their bodyguards and a couple of close friends – including Shaun Davy, the brother of Harry’s girlfriend Chelsy, and schoolmate Tom Inskip – meeting up with their fellow competitors to compare bruises and exchange stories each night. The pair – who are second and third in line to the throne – will often sleep rough as they raise money for charities including Sentebale, the organisation to help aids orphans in Lesotho set up by Harry in their mother’s memory, Unicef and the Nelson Mandela Children’s Fund. The rally has already raised an impressive £300,000. Speaking just moments before the start of the trip at the holiday resort of Port Edward, on Kwazulu Natal’s southern coast, William said: “We are both quite good but I know we will both fall off a lot of times. Although we both have motorbikes at the moment, off road biking is completely different. It is all is up hill, down slopes, across rovers and is incredibly rocky and hilly. It’s going to be a real challenge.” Harry added: “We’ve got a secret bet with everybody else about who is going to fall off the most. Obviously it is going to be great fun but the most important thing for us all is that we are doing it for some wonderful charities.”

Seriously, it’s, like, impossible to not love these guys. Brits have every right to be very proud of these young Royals. They each do so much good charity work that it’s second-nature to see them taking on a new philanthropic endeavor. They make it look so easy. If you consider that the Princes always look like they enjoy the charitable work that they do, that they seem to be having fun, it’s easy to see how raising money for charity can be such a worthwhile practice. Much props and kudos go out to the young Princes for this latest charitable act on their part. Regarding the earlier post about the poll which said that gay men prefer Harry over Wills … I, along with a great number of Pink readers, content that they both are worthy of our lurve. In light of this new endeavor of theirs, there is simply no question. They both rule!

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Prince William stepped out alone in London, England last night to get his party on at the Metropolitan Hotel and then the Whisky Mist bar and it looked like he was having a good time … but I suspect that he was crying a wee bit on the inside. Earlier in the day, results from a new poll came out that said that gay men prefer the younger Prince Harry over the heir apparent Prince Wills. Here are pics of Wills out in London last night:

Gay men would rather date Prince Harry than his brother William, according to a poll. More than a third those questioned expressed a desire for a romance with Harry while William received 23 per cent of the vote. A third of the single gay men said they would steer clear of both. William’s girlfriend Kate Middleton was named as the most lusted after royal date among the nation’s lesbians. The Prince Charming poll was conducted by dating website gay-PARSHIP.com and found that 23 per cent of lesbians wanted to date Miss Middleton compared with just 18 per cent who wanted to get close to Chelsy Davy. Five per cent said they would date both the girls but more than half said they did not fancy either. Adrian Gillan, spokesman for gay-PARSHIP, said: “This fraught romantic vote suggests divided royal loyalties. “Indeed, many gay male singles are so torn they say they would need to date both our young princes, whose female love interests prove only slightly less of a queer pull. “Being part of an inclusive, modern monarchy, William and Harry will be delighted that they and their close circle can arouse such strong emotions from Britain’s homosexual subjects.

LOL. I gotta say … it’s a tough choice. So, I put the question to you, dear readers … which of His Royal Highnesses do you prefer?

Wills or Harry? Harry or Wills? Rock the vote. Choose or lose. You decide.

[Photo credit: Bauer-Griffin; Source]

Prince Harry continued his trip of goodwill this weekend in the African kingdom of Lesotho in order to spend time with sexually and physically abused children in order to highlight the horror that has and continues to happen in one of Africa’s poorest countries. Here are a few photos of Harry spending quality playtime with some of the children at the Lesotho Child Counselling Unit this weekend:

The young royal travelled to Lesotho to meet mistreated youngsters who represent the “tip of the iceberg” in a country struggling to address the problem of sexual and physical attacks on children. Harry visited the new headquarters of a home for abused children which will become a national referral centre for their assessment and treatment. While touring the facility, the 23-year-old Prince disclosed his fears for one sexually abused child he has pledged to help throughout her life, who has been returned to her grandmother after being cared for by the unit. Harry, an officer in the Household Cavalry Regiment, said: “Liketso, as you know, was the 10-month-old baby that was raped. He said: “It was a bit upsetting to see her go back to her family, but at the end of the day that’s the best thing for her” … Standing inside the centre built in the village of Ha Takalimane in northern Lesotho, Harry said with pride: “As you can see, it’s a fantastic building, especially compared to what they were last in. We’re all very happy and it’s got a fantastic board as well to make sure this place runs well. The vulnerable kids of Lesotho who need the help, need the shelter, will always be welcome here.”

Again, I have to stress how admirable I think Prince Harry‘s efforts are and continue to be as he carries forth his commitment offering aid where needed. I am happy to post these sorts of photos and do my best to help bring attention to his efforts, in order to help spread the word of his work. Like his mother before him, Prince Harry has made his charity work an integral part of his everyday life. He has deffo grown into a man that is to be admired.

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When last we saw Prince Harry he was paling around with his older brother Prince William on a polo field in the UK for the elder prince’s birthday before he was judging farm stock at the Norfolk County Fair … but these days, Harry has relocated to South Africa with his military regiment, the Household Cavalry, to aid in the rebuilding effort spearheaded by Sentebale, the charity that Prince Harry founded back in 2006 in his late mother’s name. Here are a few pics of the heroic prince pitching in and helping rebuild a dilapidated school for disabled kids in the kingdom of Lesotho:

Pushing a heavy wheelborrow and digging trenches, he could be any other soldier on a brief re-building assignment in a foreign country. But for Prince Harry, his work to revamp a school for disabled children in the impoverished African kingdom of Lesotho, is far from over. The Prince, who is in the country with his regiment, the Household Cavalry, is assisting with projects run by Sentebale – the charity he set up in his mother’s memory with Prince Sessio of Lesotho in 2006. Sentebale – which means forget me not – helps Aids orphans and other vulnerable children in the southern African country by offering community projects, financial aid and management support. Harry, a lieutenant in the Household Cavalry’s Blues and Royals, is helping rebuild a centre for severely disabled children and visiting other projects supported by his organization. Speaking of his regiment’s involvement the Prince said: “Everything here is just so positive and fantastic. This is the only mentally handicapped school within Lesotho and once the project is finished we hope to make another in the centre and one in the south. The children of Lesotho, the vulnerable children of Lesotho, that’s what we’re working towards.” His work comes at the end of an African expedition that has been undertaken by the Prince and more than 25 soldiers from the Household Cavalry during recent weeks.

Couldn’t you just swoon? There is something about a royal prince who can be rugged, playful and philanthropic … and who just so happens to be a hottie as well that just melts one’s butter. It’s seriously the sort of stuff you read about in fairytales … all that’s missing is the white horse — oh wait, when he’s playing polo it’s possible for him to have that, too. AND, when he’s not bizzy helping rebuild schools for disabled children, he’s making time to play with those kids as a bonus:

I’m fairly certain that the Princes of Wales are pretty much the coolest royals on Earth. I think their mother Princess Diana would be very proud of them. Something tells me that she already is.

[Photo credit: Getty, INFdaily; Source]

A new photo from Prince Harry‘s tour of duty in Afghanistan has come to light and has made its way to the InterWeb and I feel it is my sworn duty to share the goods with all y’all. As you may recall, Prince Harry embarked on a top secret mission to serve in active duty in war-torn Afghanistan at the end of last year/beginning of this year. His 10 week classified mission was cut short once the press got wind that he was serving in active wartime duty. In March, a few personal photos of Harry enjoying his downtime in Afghanistan were released to the media … but today a new photo has emerged … here is the new pic coupled with one of the earlier pics that has already been released:

Well now … this new pic is a nice one, yes? Dirty, sunburned and free ballin’ it … just the way nature intended. Perhaps there may be even more photos of Dirty Harry to come, perhaps not but I contend that this new photo goes along way to satisfy fans of His Royal Hotness.

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Prince Harry learned this week that his princely duties are never done as he paid a visit to The Royal Norfolk County Show in Norwich, UK this week to survey the agricultural showcases that were on display at this year’s event. See, being a prince isn’t only about playing army in Afghanistan or hanging out on the polo fields … there’s also this type of important work to be had as well:

The shrieks of excited girls shattered the peace and country quiet of the Royal Norfolk agricultural show today as Harry-mania hit Norwich. The young royal was mobbed by hoards of adoring fans as he toured the agricultural showground at Costessey, Norfolk. Groups of teenage girls, children and other members of the public, all wielding cameras, fought to get close to the Prince, shouting “Harry” and asking each other “Did you see him?” More than one young girl was heard to remark: “He’s so fit.” Harry arrived at the show in a black Range Rover to cheers and applause from the waiting crowd. He was at the event to mark the centenary of the granting of the Royal Charter to the show’s organiser, the Royal Norfolk Agricultural Association. He was met this morning by dignitaries and supporters of the show, including this year’s president, head of the British Army Sir Richard Dannatt. It was Sir Richard who gave the go-ahead for Harry to deploy to Afghanistan earlier this year. The Prince’s first stop this morning was the cattle buildings where he stopped off to look at examples of the Holstein and Jersey breeds. He then made his way outside where he stopped to talk to 14-year-old Robert Crawford, who is showing his Ayrshire cattle. He introduced Harry to one of his prized specimens, Marshview Marie. Robert said: “He was asking me what they judge the cattle on and I told him they’re looking at the udders and the body.” Robert’s answer prompted the Prince to take a closer look at the cow’s udders before remarking: “It’s very clean.” Accompanied every step of the way by scores of excited fans, a cool-headed Harry remained fixed on the task in hand and, after stopping to talk to a couple more farmers, he headed into the food hall where jam-maker Essence Foods presented the Prince with a selection of jam which had been hand-made in Norfolk. At a tomato stall a reluctant Harry was convinced to taste a cherry tomato which he pronounced “good”. He seemed more keen on a fish dip offered to him at a stall named The Joy of Food, grinning as he tried it. Harry made his way through the throng of people, chatting to show chairman Sir Nicholas Bacon. In the woodland area the Prince tried his hand at lathe turning. He was shown how to pedal the machine and use a chisel to make a garden dibber for planting by toolmaker Lois Beakhouse, 40, from Malvern, Worcestershire. With everyone watching, the Prince was heard to comment: “I think they’re waiting for me to make a mistake.” Ms Beakhouse said: “He was very interested in it. He genuinely seemed to enjoy it.”

Aww … how cute. I’m fairly certain that Prince Harry wasn’t all that interested in the stuff going on at the county fair but like a good prince, he faithfully went thru the motions. See, lest you think that being a member of the Royal family is all fun and games, Harry shows us that there is some hard work involved as well. I bet it’s hell scraping the cow pies off the bottom of your patent leather wingtip shoes.

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After celebrating his 26th birthday by pitching a tent with his girlfriend Kate Middleton on Saturday, Prince William joined his younger brother Prince Harry for a sporting game of polo at the Grand Prix England vs South Africa charity game yesterday at the Beaufort Park Polo Club … here are a few pics:

I must say … the Princes look quite fetching in their polo pants, riding atop those galloping horses as they wield their long polo mallets. Obvs, this is the sort of game that would never really catch fire here in the States but I wouldn’t mind checking out a game or two of polo if it were readily available. I’ve always had a stogy notion of the sport as a boring and lackluster game … but seeing the young Princes take part in the game does wonders for the reputation of the sport.

Additionally, here is a really cute pic taken over the weekend of Prince Wills enjoying a group hug with some friends on his birthday on Saturday:

Looks like fun … a Royale, with cheese :)

[Photo credit: Bauer-Griffin]